Choosing an adequate catcher proves to be a constant headache for owners each and every year. The scarcity at the position is world renown and the stress level it causes inexperienced owners rivals the relationship between a married man and his mother-in-law. Fortunately, I’ve been very lucky over the past couple seasons to benefit from the likes of Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin and former multi-position eligible Florida Marlins outfielder Josh Willingham. So, as the 2008 season approaches like the Green Line D train to Fenway on a hot summer’s eve, remember that the importance of having a solid backstop taking hacks for you is equivalent to having a kicker in fantasy football that is automatic.

The secret to getting the most out of a backstop is to consider the amount of at-bats he registers. Last season, Cleveland Indians catcher Victor Martinez (562), Martin (540) and New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada (506) were the top-three backstops in all of Major League Baseball respectively in at-bats amongst catchers. These are the guys you want to target, because the more at-bats a player records, the chances of increased production coincides.